Fifth-wheel



(No Model.)

J. J. GRALL. FIFTH WHEEL.

No. 000,305. Patented Mar. 8,1800.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN J. GRALL, OF CI-IAUNOEY, MISSOURI.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 600,305, dated March 8, 18918.

Application filed August 20, 1897. Serial No. 648,956. (No model.)

To all whom, I may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. CRALL, residing at Chauncey, in the county of Camden and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Fifth-Vheel, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of a fifthwheel made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line of the couplin g-pole. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper ring of the fifth-wheel detached. Fig. is asimilar view of the lower ring. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring clamping block or plate.

Like letters of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the various figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by letters, A is the front axle of the wagon or other vehicle to which my improved fifth-wheel is to be attached.

B is the lower ring of the lifth-wheel, which is provided with a cross-bar B, made integral therewith.

C C are depending lugs, also made integral with the lower ring B and arranged in line with similar lugs O', depending from and made integral with the crossbarB'. When the ring B is placed upon the axle A, the axle is straddled by the lugs C and C' and the plate and axle are secured together by bolts D, passed through the ring B between the axle A and lugs C and O' and through clamp-plates E on the lower side of the axle, being secured by nuts F.

Gis the upper ring of the fifth-wheel, which is provided with a cross-bar G', made integral therewith, bearing-lugs H H and I I' being formed upon the upper surface of the ring G and cross-bar G', diametrically in line with each other. The cross-bar B is provided with a centrally-located stud or boss J, formed integral therewith, which, with the cross-bar itself, is perforated or bored to receive the kingbolt K. .The stud or boss J passes up through a central opening in the cross-bar G' until the top thereof is iiush with the top of said cross-bar. The king-bolt passes up through the cross-bar B and stud-bolt, projects above the cross-bar G, and is furnished with a washer M of a diameter greater than the stud-bolt and secured by a nut N, screwed down upon said washer. To assist in securing the plates B and G together, a clamp-plate O is secured by a suitable screw or bolt to the periphery of plate G, at its front and rear, the horizontal flanges of said clamp-plates passing under the outer edge of plate B, as shown in Fig. 2.

P is the coupling-pole, which through its main length may be of any desired shape in cross-section, it being formed at its forward end cylindrical, as at P. This cylindrical portion P is passed through the lugs I-I and I-I, resting on the lugs I and I', a shoulder P2 at the inner end of the cylindrical portion abutting against the lug H and suitable nuts Q being threaded upon its forward end against the outer face of lug H. The cylindrical portion Pof the coupling-pole also passes through holes R in lugs R2, depending from a block R, which is secured to the spring S by means of clamp-plates S and bolts S2. The block R has also upwardly-proj ecting lianges Rwhich embrace the sides of the spring S, their upper ends being flush with the upper surface of the spring. rlhe bolt S3 passes upward through the center of the block R and through the spring S, being secured bya nut at its upper end.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have provided a fifth-wheel with means whereby it may be rigidly secured to the axle and its parts strongly adjusted upon each other, such means permitting of the free and easy movement of the parts upon each other with very little friction and wear. The coupling-pole is so secured that its connection with the fifth-wheel is pivotal, whereby the strain upon all the parts of the wagon-body when one of the wheels suddenly drops into a hole or rides over an obstruction in the road is entirely relieved, inasmuch as such a motion of either the front or back wheel will only cause the coupling-pole to turn in its bearings on the iifth-Wheel or the fifth-wheel to turn upon the pole. A further great improvement is the pivotal connection of the spring to the IOO coupling.

While I have illustrated and described what I believe to be the best means for carrying out my invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described, but hold that such slight changes and-variations as might suggest themselves to the ordinary mechanic would properly fall within the limit and scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, 'what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is"

l. In a fifth-wheel, the combination of the lower ring,- provided with a cross-bar having a stud centrally raised thereon, with the upper ring, provided with a cross-bar, centrally bored to receive said stud, aking-bolt passing through the lower cross-bar and its' stud, a suitable washer and nut thereon, and dia'- metrically-located clamp-plates secured upon the perimeter of the upper ring and projecting under the lower ring, substantially as described.

2. In a t'th-wheel, the combination of the lower ring, having a cross-bar made integral therewith, and a stud projecting centrally from said cross-bar, with an upper ring, provided with a cross-bar having a central opening to receive said stud, the upper surfaces vof the stud and cross-bar being flush, when in position, a king-bolt passing upwardly 'through the cross-bar of the lower ring and its stud and projecting above the upper ring, a broad washer on the king-bolt, lying upon the surface of the stud and upper cross-bar, a nut upon the king bolt, adapted to be screwed down upon said washer, bearinglugs diametrically opposite each other at the edges of the upper ring, the coupling-pole of the vehicle journaled in said bearing-lu gs, intermediate bearin g-lugs for the coupling-pole, a block' seated on the cross-bar of the upper ring having perforated depending lugs through which the coupling-pole passes, opposite upwardly-extending flanges, the front spring resting upon the block between said upward flanges, clamp-plates upon the top of the spring, and bolts for securing them to the block, substantially as described.

. JOHN J. GRALL.

Witnesses:

W. L. HAGAN, J. W. PRITCHETT. 

